UK government pledges $141.7 million to help vulnerable countries deal with Omicron
December 30, 2021, 7:58 am

UK government pledges $141.7 million to help vulnerable countries deal with Omicron

Liz Truss

The Hill reported according to Reuters that the British government on Wednesday pledged 105 million pounds — which is equivalent to roughly $141.7 million — in emergency aid to vulnerable countries, particularly in Africa, to help them deal with the spread of the highly transmissible omicron COVID-19 variant.

British foreign minister Liz Truss said, according to Reuters: "The UK is providing vital assistance to help tackle the spread of new variants around the world." "This is key to securing our freedom and ending this pandemic once and for all."

The funds will go toward transmission reduction efforts, increased testing and expanded oxygen supplies, per the wire service.

Truss said: "The UK is helping other countries most in need. No one is safe until everyone is safe."

The omicron variant, which has a significantly higher degree of mutations than previous strains of COVID-19, was first detected in South Africa in late November and quickly spread to neighboring countries in the region.

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The British Foreign Office added that this pledge comes just as it was confirmed that the U.K. followed through on its goal of delivering 30 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to the rest of the world by the end of 2021, Reuters reported. The country has vowed to donate 100 million doses.

This pledge also comes as wealthier nations like the U.K. have received criticism for not doing enough to help poorer countries combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The World Health Organization's director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has blamed wealthier countries for contributing to the rise of the omicron variant by hoarding vaccines, which allowed for a continued spread of infections and resulted in a more mutations occurring.

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In an op-ed published in USA Today last week, Tedros blamed "narrow nationalism and vaccine hoarding" for creating the "ideal conditions for the emergence of the omicron variant."

"If we end inequity, we end the pandemic," he wrote. "As we enter the third year of this pandemic, I’m confident that this will be the year we end it – but only if we do it together."

Source: hill

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”